Kids who watch too much TV 'become junk food adults'

Children who watch too much television are significantly more likely to have bad eating habits in later life, an American study has shown.

Research published in BioMed Central's open access International Journal of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity is the first to find a strong association between TV and diet during the transition from adolescence to adulthood.

Dr Daheia Barr-Anderson from the University of Minnesota analysed the TV-watching and dietary habits of 2,000 students.

Stronger and more consistent patterns were seen during the transition from high school to young adulthood than during the transition from middle school to high school.

Both are critical developmental periods where lifelong behaviours are formed, the authors write.

The research team found that those high school students who watched more than five hours of TV per day had a lower intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and calcium-rich foods; and higher intakes of snack foods, fried foods, fast food, sugar-sweetened beverages and trans fats five years later.

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According to Dr Barr-Anderson, 'these less than healthy foodstuffs are commonly advertised on television while healthy foods rarely receive the same publicity'.

'Although young people may be aware that many foods advertised on television are not healthy, they may choose to ignore or do not fully realise the consequences, because the actors they see advertising and eating the foods in the commercials are usually not overweight,' she added.

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